4,000 years ago in Babylon, an ancient city 55 miles south of Bagdad, it is believed that people began to celebrate the New Year.The festivities began shortly after the first day of spring, when the new moon appeared in the sky.The ancient people celebrated for 11 days, each day had its own purpose and significance.It makes a lot more sense to have the new year start in spring, when the year seems to start over and the earth comes back to life.It wasn't until Julius Caesar came along in the year 46 BC and changed the calendar, that January 1st became the official New Year.